Western VA Coverage - Did I make a mistake?

spc1003 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 8

Okay here is my story:

I live within pretty solid Verizon Rev A coverage (according to Verizon's map) Bedford VA (SW area of 24523). Signed up for their service couple weeks ago, Rev A coverage comes and goes for no reason. With Rev A I get download speeds of about 800 - 1200 when Rev A is gone I get a top speed of 135. Verizon tech support says that i live between the Alltel coverage and the Verizon coverage and that the Alltel signal is overpowering the Verizon and making the Verizon Rev A disappear? Doesn't make any sense to me..... So i'm most likely going to cancel before my 30 days is up next week.

So today, I call Alltel, and according to their sales rep, keep in mind her job is to sell, she says "of course you will have great coverage with us according to your zip code, Rev A, with speeds up to 3 megs." Hmmm, then i look at this forum and it looks like Rev A doesn't exist for my area. I've already ordered their service at this point..... Did I make a mistake?

Anybody have experience with Alltel in this area of VA, help me out Karlyn???

No DSL, cable ends about a 1/4 of a mile, so i'm holding out for EVDO.

karlyn · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject:

I think it's worth it to give Alltel a try (although the trial period is much shorter).

The worst case is that you go back to Verizon and think about adding a directional antenna so you have a better chance of pulling in Verizon's signal over Alltel's. It was interesting to look at Verizon's coverage map -- they've added a lot of territory recently. I think not too long ago they only had coverage in some areas around SML and along 81.

Alltel tends to have bonded T1s for backhaul along 460 so it's possible you'll do better than the 800-1,200 download speed. I range between 1,600 and 1,800 here and can hit 2,000 fairly often. I'm about a mile from the cell site with little terrain in between. Congestion on remote servers limits me more often than cell site capacity or Alltel's network.

You won't likely see 3 MB download bursts with either of provider, Rev. A or not (at least not right now), because the backhaul capacity is lacking. To me, the biggest benefits from Rev. A are better upload speeds and lower latency. I do think we'll be seeing Rev. A here sometime this year in spite of my somewhat pessimistic post to the contrary. Razz

I've had Alltel service here for 13 months. There have been some rough patches but for the most part I've been very happy with the service and can't imagine going back to dial up or switching to satellite.

Please let us know how it goes for you -- there are several people on the forum from the areas to the east, north and south of Lynchburg but I haven't seen many folks from your area.

spc1003 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 8

An update in case anybody is interested. Got the Alltel, hooked it up, and download of 137 is as good as it gets..... Stuck in 1x all the time, i think i saw it switch to DO one time, but didn't stay long enough to even get a speed test. I've got a trouble ticket opened with Alltel and am anxious to see what the engineers have to say. Tech support is saying i'm within the DO coverage area, but on the edge and have turned to over to the engineers.

Also, still no luck with Verizon, only 1x with them as well most of the time, except for an occasional tease.

So looks like i'm stuck in dialup land, or 1x if i want to pay $59 per month for speeds of 137..... Sad

jfarris · EVDO Junkie Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 205

Do you have an external antenna, or are you using the antenna on the card?

What is the RSSI for EVDO?

karlyn · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 6:33 am Post subject:

I can't tell from your posts -- do you have a laptop? If so, can you take it outside and walk around your home checking your EvDO RSSI at different spots?

Here's why I'm asking.... For six months I worked out of a temporary office. At first I thought I only had a 1x connection at that location (air card was in laptop). Then I bought a router and moved the router w/card less than two feet across a table. Bingo, EvDO. And that was the only spot at that location where I could catch EvDO reliably.

So tell us more if you can....

spc1003 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 8

I've got a desktop, but a friend who has a laptop brought it over to try to find a good signal for me. RSSI generally ranges from -80 dBm to -85dBm but no "DO" at all, no matter inside/outside, no matter which room. At least with Verizon, i got EVDO every once in a while. I may end up going back to Verizon through 3gstore and buy a Yagi from them..... It seems like they know a lot more about EVDO than any of the verizon tech folks i talked to.

Alltel Tech support was sent "my lack of DO" problem to engineering and I should've heard something by now..... but so far no call back.

Thanks again Karlyn, looks like you are the local EVDO pro..... One thing I do wish, is that U.S. Cellular would jump on the EVDO bandwagon, i have excellent (always all bars on my cell phone) coverage at my house, and a tower within line of sight, they have a tower on the mountain right near my house, the same mountain that has the WSET-13 tower.... too bad verizon or alltel won't co-locate on one of those towers. That would solve all my problems.

jfarris · EVDO Junkie Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 205

One thing I have noticed is that Alltel is really awful about following up on trouble tickets. You have to get on them a bit. If you call and ask, you'll have a much better chance of getting an answer than you will if you wait for them.

karlyn · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:33 am Post subject:

jfarris is (unfortunately) right, especially if you're the only one reporting the problem or if the local engineers have their hands full otherwise. I've called twice during the past year. The first time they didn't have to come out to the cell site and it was fixed within hours. The second time took at least four days* but it was during the time they were busy installing EvDO down around Martinsville.

I know I've gotten a good DO signal right at Bedford along 460 but don't know what it's like out your way since there's lots of terrain.

I wish US Cellular had EvDO, too, but afaik they only are testing it in one small region. They have great coverage around here.

karlyn

* Aggravating, but still faster than the ten days it took Verizon to come out to fix my landline (which didn't get fixed right the first time and took another call to get fixed properly). I'm not a Verizon fan (bias admitted!). Surprised

danmars · EVDO Newbie Joined: 17 May 2008 Posts: 1

I'm in Bedford County 8 miles south from the Alltel tower on Rt.460 & 43. My download speeds average around 1270 down & 100 up. You have to lock the data card on DO or it will keep switching to 1X. That's what I had to do and have not had any problems.

spc1003 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks guys, Just as an update. I stopped my Alltel service and sent everything back. I'm only about 5 miles SW of the Alltel tower at 460/43 and DO wouldn't pick up. Engineers essentially told me that i'm in a fringe area and it is what it is.....

Now i've started another 30 day trial of verizon through 3gstore with an external omni antenna. So far, not any better than my previous verizon trial.... So I don't know what the next step is, maybe a Yagi... I've got 4 bars (-75dbm) on 1x wtih the omni and broadband comes and goes.... Verizon tech support can't even tell me where the closest tower is that has EVDO, they are saying that i'm hitting a tower 28 miles away (haha), so who knows..... I know the tower at Staunton River High School is a Verizon tower, it is 4.2 miles from my house and is "almost" within line of sight, i need to grab a lap top and check some readings close to the tower to see if it has EVDO, then maybe a yagi pointing at it will help....

I'm trying to avoid satellite internet, since i don't hear anything good....